Comic Con Paris 2016

Do you ever wish to save the entire world with cool superpowers and tight spandex like I do? The answer should be yes. Otherwise you may be living in another dimension were pop culture doesn’t exist because every human living in the 21st-century on planet Earth is obsessed with space raccoons, storm troopers and meta humans.
Just go to the Paris Comic Con and you’ll understand. This year, cosplayers from all around the world joined forces to showcase their best costumes. From Jedis to Harley Quinn and the Joker, every cosplayer had their unique style, walking among the visitors and taking selfies with them.

I had the chance to cover the first day (October 21st) of the 2016 Paris Comic Con and be part of this intense 3 day exhilarating convention.
The convention center opens at 9:30 am and arriving early is the best way to beat the crowd and avoid the long lines that start to form rapidly at animation booths. You could take pictures with BB-8, stormtroopers or even get a polaroid photo of you at the Instax by Fujifilm booth.

The VR experience was also popular. The PS4 instalment allowed visitors to fight crime as Batman and the Partouche Booth offered a Roller Blaster 4D experience.

Canal was a generous exhibitor, handing out bags and entertaining visitors with quizzes and opportunities to win gifts.
Many exhibitors not only promoted their brand and merchandise, but they were also eager to share their passion. Figurines, t-shirts, comics and costumes were a big hit among fans.

Even if you left your light sabre at home (because of safety regulations of course) you’ll have plenty of opportunities to demonstrate how well you use the force. There was a light sabre initiation proposed by the Light Sabre Sport League and many other opportunities to get your hands on one.

Light sabre initiation. Photo by Laurie Le Bomin

There were plenty of Star Wars themed activities; ranging from photos to conferences.
I attended the masterclass delivered by Lorne Peterson, FX artist. He created most of the models for Star Wars. He shared his experience with humour and gave us funny behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

At lunch time, superheroes get hungry as you’ll witness spidermen and batmen waiting in line to get a hot dog or fresh crepes at the food corner. I decided to try Japanese delicacies. I even treated myself to a freshly baked matcha and dark chocolate cookie.
To feed another hunger, the one for series and movies, I went to see the Warner Bros. Television event which projected trailers for up and coming movies and the first episode of the Season 3 of the Flash. After that, the pilot episode of Supergirl was on the menu.

Erik Larsen, illustrator known for his work on Spider-Man Marvel and other comics gave a conference. Visitors got to discover his career at the Masterclass room.

The highlight of the day was the Luke Cage panel. Actor Mike Colter, costume designer Stephanie Maslansky and illustrator Shawn Martinbrough gave us an insight of the creation of the new Netflix show. Everyone was listening attentively to the interesting process of how the character was brought to the screen.

Lorne Peterson. Photo by Laurie Le Bomin

After clapping my hands cheerfully to several rounds of applause, I went to the mezzanine floor of the convention center. The atmosphere was laid-back and intimate. Illustrators were signing books or artwork and connecting with their fans.
I came across the Fusion Designs Caricatures booth. These guys offered amazing artwork.
To end the day on a good note, I attended the Premiere of the movie Arrival. It was such a compelling movie. The kind that makes such an impactful impression on you that you want to see it again. Just like how badly you want to go to Comic Con again next year!

A Cosplayer at the Comic Con Paris 2016 event

The opening day of the Comic Con 2016 in Paris was a gathering of visitors and die hard fans wearing spandex and other cool costumes. At the masterclasses and other conferences, we had the chance to listen to professionals who described us how they created these great projects. We also got to see an exclusive of the Arrival, never shown before. Comic Con 2016 was a marvellous experience. The Experience Magazine is looking forward to the third edition next year.